OT in the Home: Addressing Depression, Anxiety, and Isolation
Presented by Krista Covell-Pierson
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Depression, anxiety, and isolation are common and often underrecognized concerns among individuals receiving care in the home. These conditions can severely impact engagement in daily activities, increase the risk of functional decline, and reduce quality of life. Occupational therapy practitioners are uniquely qualified to address these mental health needs through functional, compassionate, and evidence-based interventions. This course equips clinicians with strategies to recognize mental health concerns, use validated assessments, and implement meaningful, client-centered treatments within the home setting. Emphasizing the therapeutic use of self, structured routines, and holistic engagement, the course also provides guidance on documentation, billing, and suicide risk response. This training is essential for occupational therapy providers working in home health, mobile outpatient, hospice, and community-based settings.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize the important role of an OT to address mental health in the home
- Identify at least three ways mental health influences participation in daily activities within the home environment
- Apply occupational therapy approaches to support mental health concerns with patients in a home setting
- Recognize two mental health assessments appropriate for home-based occupational therapy practice
- Formulate strategies to bill for and document OT services in Mental health at home
- Create a patient-centered goal for this topic
Meet your instructor
Krista Covell-Pierson
Krista Covell-Pierson is the owner and founder of Covell Care and Rehabilitation, an innovative mobile outpatient practice designed to help adults and older adults live safer, more independent, and engaged lives at home and in their communities. She developed this one-of-a-kind model from the ground up, integrating…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Why Is OT Imperative With Mental Health in the Home Setting?
This chapter outlines the national mental health crisis and its widespread impact among older adults and home-based care recipients. It highlights the role of OT in addressing psychosocial well-being, reducing caregiver burden, and supporting participation across diagnoses. Foundational frameworks such as PEO, MOHO, CBT, and the recovery model are introduced to guide therapeutic reasoning.
2. Where Do We Start?
Learners will explore how to begin identifying depression, anxiety, and isolation through observation, clinical reasoning, and therapeutic conversation. The chapter introduces tools to build a mental health–focused OT toolkit and emphasizes the importance of empathy, rapport, and person-centered evaluation strategies that go beyond chart review.
3. Assessments to Use in the Home
This chapter introduces three effective assessments for mental health in home-based OT practice: the PHQ-9 for depression, the GAD-7 for anxiety, and the OT-specific COTE for functional engagement. Learners will examine how to administer these tools, interpret findings, and write function-focused, measurable goals to guide intervention.
4. Treatment Interventions
A wide range of intervention strategies is presented, including routine development, mindfulness, grounding techniques, joy scheduling, caregiver training, and motivational engagement. The chapter also provides examples of real-life OT impact on clients with complex mental health needs and outlines response protocols for suicidal and homicidal ideation in the home setting.
5. Where Do We Go From Here?
The final chapter provides a framework for continuing care after discharge, including referral strategies, community connection, and patient education. Learners will be guided on how to leave behind meaningful resources, build a mental health support plan, and maintain professional growth in this essential and expanding area of practice.
More courses in this series
OT in the Home: Guided Safety and Environmental Assessments
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OT in the Home: Foundations of Assistive Tech and Equipment
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OT in the Home: Interventions for Low Vision
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OT in the Home: Addressing Progressive Neurological Conditions
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OT in the Home: Managing Chronic Pain and Fatigue
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OT in the Home: Pelvic Health Strategies for General Practitioners
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OT in the Home: Addressing Depression, Anxiety, and Isolation
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OT in the Home: Reducing Caregiver Burden and Connecting Resources
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